Homemade Pao buns or Ladi Pao

I started baking bread last year, during the lockdown. 

Regulars on my blog will know that I used bake a lot once upon a time. But that was limited to only cakes and an occasional savoury dish. 
But never bread. Except for the No knead bread. Which is actually so easy that I hardly think of it as baking bread. More of a cake, actually. 

Anyway, during lockdown, instagram was full of posts on homemade breads. 
So I turned to my old blogger friend Finla of My Kitchen Treasures, an avid and expert baker and she guided me with her recipes and tips. 
And I set off on this bread baking spree. 

I was so happily caught up in it that I baked quite a few kinds of breads including the Foccacia and also stuffed buns, but never actually set up a proper place and click proper photos. 
But bread baking is that addictive ..... once the warm buns or bread or rolls come out of the oven, you just cannot resist them. 
So inspite having all the good intentions of making posts, I never actually got 'round to .... just for the lack of proper photos. 

But now I am on a gluten free as well as oilfree diet and don't know when I will bake bread again. 
So making these posts .... with whatever photos I have. 
Hope they help you. 

Need : 

Maida / apf - 250 gm  

Milk - 3 tbsp 

Sugar - 1 tbsp 

Dry yeast - 1 tbsp 

 Salt - a little 

Baking powder - 1 tsp 

Cooking oil - 1 tsp 

Enough butter to brush the buns 

Warm milk, just enough to be able to keep your finger in it. 

Add the sugar and the yeast. 

Keep covered for 10 mins, till it starts to froth. 

If it does not froth, discard and make a fresh batch. 

In a bowl, mix the maida, salt and baking powder. 
Add the milk with the yeast. 

Bring everything together into a soft dough. 

If needed, add a little more milk. 

Apply oil to the dough and keep in a oiled, large bowl. 

Cover tightly. 

Keep in a warm place, for 1and a half hour to double up. 

After the dough has doubled up, lightly punch it back and let out the air. 

Divide into small balls and rest for another 15 to 20 minutes, covered with a damp towel. 

After 20 mins, they will rise again. 
Shape them into rounds, brush them with a little milk and place them in an oven tray closely. 
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes. 

Do check in between and brush with milk once. 

Baking time will depend on the type of your oven. 

After they are done, give a brush of butter generously and cover immediately with a damp cloth. 

Let them sit and cool down completely. 
This will be difficult ..... we ate them warm .... just out of the oven. 
Heavenly yumm  😇😇

Do give that brush of butter after it is done. 
Do keep covered with a damp cloth till it cools down completely .... it keeps the bread soft. 

Another close look. 

We enjoyed the buns / pav from this batch with some bhaji . 

 

I will try to post all the recipes for all the kinds of bread I hace baked so far ..... especially the stuffed ones. 
Till then ..... take care, wear a mask and stay home.